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(No Model.)

' R. M. BROOKS.

GAR COUPLING. v No. 257,148. Patented May 2,1882.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RHODOM M. BROOKS ()F JENKINSVILLE, GEORGIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,148, dated May 2,1882.

Application filed March 6, 1882. ('No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RHODOM M. BROOKS, of Jcnkinsville, in the county ofPike, and in the State of Georgia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention has forits objects to provide an improved car-couplerwhich will hold the link and the coupling-pin in position for coupling,and which will be automatically operated to drop the pin through thelink as the cars come together, as more fully hereinafter specified.These objects I attain by the meclr anism and devices illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, which represents a sectional view of my improvedcoupler, showing the pin in position to be dropped through the link, andalso showing the pin dropped through the link, so as to hold the same.

The letter A indicates the draw-heads of the coupler, which areconstructed in the ordinary or any approved manner, with flaringopenings for the reception of the link. Back of these openings arelocated the pawls or dogs B, which are adapted to slide obliquelyinsuitable reeesses, U, in the draw head, so that they may beautomatically operated or forced back by the link upon entering thedraw-head. The upper forward portions of the dogs are provided withshoulders D, so as to hold the pin in an elevated position and preventthe entering link from passing above the pawl when passing in in anupward direction. The rear of the pawls. or dogs is provided withshoulders E and F, which are adapted to abut against bearin gs G and Hwhen they are driven back by the link, so as to receive the strain andprevent injury to the draw-heads when the cars come forcibly together.

The letter I indicates a pin extending trans verselythrough thedraw=headsbelow thelower ends of the pawls or dogs, serving as a guideupon which said pawls or dogs may slide, and also to secure the sameinthe draw-heads.

The forward edges of the dogs or pawls are provided with recesses M, tohold the link in an elevated position, in order that it will properlyenter the opposite draw-head.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in connectionwith the above description, and is as follows: The coupling pin of onedraw-head is elevated and held as indicated in the figure at the left ofthe drawing, and the link is arranged in the opposite draw-head, asindicated in the figure at the right of the drawing. When the cars cometogether the link, secured in the draw-head,as above mentioned, entersthe opposite drawhead, forcing back the dog or pawl, so as to drop thepin automatically through the link.

It will be perceived that the link operates withabsolute certainty, nomatter from what direction it enters the draw-head, whether on a levelor from above or below,in case the cars are ofuuequalheigh t. The pin,when dropped, (in case the pawl is not thrown clear baek,) falls withits. lower point resting upon the lower end of the pawl, so as to permitthe link to play freely in the draw-head, the pin subsequent] y droppingclear through the coupling-pin aperture when the cars meet. It will beseen that when the pin drops entirely the pawl or dog will be elevated,leavingroom for the link to be moved freely in all directions withoutbeing held or confined by the recess in the edge of the dog or pawl,permitting the cars to move properly with respect to each other. Thelower end of the pin, when elevated, rests upon the inclined upper edgeof the dog or pawl, which, moving backward at an angle or obliquely tothe end of the pin, insures its dropping and renders it impossible todrive the pin out of the aperture when the pawl or dog is forciblystruck by the link.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In a car-coupler, the combination,with the draw-head A, provided with an oblique recess, O, the slidingdog or pawl B, having a shoulder, D, and recess M, and provided withabutments E F, adapted to strike against the abutments G H of thedraw-head, whereby the force of the shock of the car will be broken whenthe dog is thrown back, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In combination with the draw-head having an oblique recess, thesliding dog adapted to move in said recess, andvprovided with a recessat its lower end adapted to hold the pin in a partially-elevatedposition during the operation of coupling, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. In combination with the draw-head having an oblique recess, thesliding pawl or dog,

IO and the pin L, which serves as a guide for the pawl or dog and tosecure it in the draw-heed, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 6th day of March, 1882.

R. M. BROOKS.

\Vitnesses:

J. J. MCCARTHY, EDWIN L. YEWELL.

